Best of

the Twin Cities

Best Theater

Dark & Stormy Productions

Considering that the Twin Cities is packed with larger, long-established companies, how did tiny upstart Dark & Stormy take the prize? It happened through the dedication of a handful of talented and committed artists who want the very best on stage. Last year, that meant a pair of shows by playwright William Mastrosimone. The first, Extremities, showcased how to do small-scale, in-your-face theater. At the company's tiny space in northeast Minneapolis, the play's tight confines only upped the tension in a story about rape and revenge. After that, most companies would have been locked into their next show. The flexible folks here instead were able to program another Mastrosimone play, Sunshine. The intimate setting remained, which allowed the audience to really ride along with the actors. Artistic director Sara Marsh has, over the course of a few years, crafted a must-attend company out of a simple desire to put on great shows with great acting.